Evaluating Who’s on the Block as a Trade Deadline Nears

With baseball’s nonwaiver trading period ending Thursday, many of the teams in the playoff hunt have already made significant moves.

The Oakland Athletics, with the best record in baseball, improved their starting rotation by trading for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel of the Chicago Cubs. The Los Angeles Angels, hot on the Athletics’ heels in the American League West, fixed the back end of their bullpen by acquiring Huston Street from the San Diego Padres. The San Francisco Giants, a team once known for its pitching, added starter Jake Peavy from the Boston Red Sox, while the Yankees plugged a hole in their infield by trading for Chase Headley of the Padres.

With 19 teams either leading a division or trailing by five games or fewer for a wild-card spot through Saturday, contenders will be hoping to shore up weaknesses this week. Teams in search of hitting may have to get creative, but those looking for pitching are in luck. Here are some players who could be on the move:

Pitchers

DAVID PRICE, TAMPA BAY, 2014 WINS ABOVE REPLACEMENT: 2.9 Unless the Red Sox put Jon Lester on the market, Price is the cream of the crop among trade candidates. The 2012 American League Cy Young Award winner, Price is averaging a career-high 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings and has a sterling ratio of 8.71 strikeouts for every walk. At 28, he would instantly become the ace of most teams, but with another year of arbitration eligibility, and the Rays on a bit of a run, the team could decide to hold on to him if no team is willing to part with sufficient prospects.

KOJI UEHARA, BOSTON, WAR: 2.1 Uehara, 39, appeared to come out of nowhere to anchor Boston’s bullpen last season, but he did this for years in Japan. Since a somewhat pedestrian rookie season in 2009, he has averaged just 0.71 walks and hits per inning pitched over five seasons while striking out 11.6 batters per nine innings. Adjusted for league and ballpark, his earned run average over that span is 124 percent better than the league average.

A. J. BURNETT, PHILADELPHIA, WAR: 1.6 Long removed from a disastrous three-season stretch with the Yankees, Burnett has spent the last few years enjoying life in the National League. He continues to pile up strikeouts while averaging about 30 starts in each of the last six seasons. At 37, he is probably not a good fit in the tougher-hitting A.L., and his postseason résumé has been spotty, but he could provide rotation depth to a team hoping for a back-end starter.

CLIFF LEE, PHILADELPHIA, WAR: 0.9 There was a time when Lee was the prize of the July trading season. In 2009 and 2010, he was traded for a package of prospects by a team that thought it was one pitcher away from glory. Lee is now 35 and, with his worst E.R.A. since 2007, it would be easy to assume that he is in decline, but according to the statistic Fielding Independent Pitching, which measures a pitcher’s ability to prevent home runs and walks and to create strikeouts, he is still a quality pitcher who has been a victim of poor defense. A trade for Lee could most likely wait until after the deadline, since he would probably clear waivers.

Hitters

BEN ZOBRIST, IF/OF, TAMPA BAY, WAR: 2.5 Zobrist is a versatile player who has spent time at second base, shortstop and in the outfield. A two-time All-Star, Zobrist got off to a slow start at the plate this season, but he has picked things up recently and can be counted on for a decent batting average, some power and some stolen bases. The only problem is that his surge has coincided with a turn in fortunes for his team, which could complicate a trade.

DANIEL MURPHY, 2B, METS, WAR: 1.9 The Mets have given no indication that they want to move Murphy, 29, but the timing may be right. He will very likely get a huge raise in his final arbitration year, his profile has been elevated by his selection as an All-Star. A converted outfielder, Murphy is not a natural at second base, with minus-32 defensive runs saved at the position over the last four seasons, but his bat would interest plenty of teams.

RYAN HOWARD, 1B, PHILADELPHIA, WAR: -0.5 Howard’s star burned bright, with a stretch in which he hit 198 home runs over four seasons. His home run and runs batted in totals are still adequate, but his .685 O.P.S. this season is tied for 122nd. A problem in moving him, even to a team desperate for power, is the $60 million owed to him after this season.

MATT KEMP, OF, LOS ANGELES DODGERS, WAR: -1.1 Kemp’s descent has been even faster than Howard’s. In 2011, Kemp was a 26-year-old All-Star who finished second in Most Valuable Player voting, falling one home run short of a 40-40 season. In the three years since, he has combined for 37 home runs and 23 stolen bases. Injuries have largely robbed him of his game-changing speed. Now a liability in the field, Kemp, a former five-tool star who won two Gold Gloves, may be best as a designated hitter. He is owed $107 million after this season.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page D4 of the New York edition with the headline: Evaluating Who’s on the Block as a Trade Deadline Nears. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe